A
NEW SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM TO INTERCEPT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS OFF THE
COAST OF SOUTHERN SPAIN HAS BEEN RECENTLY UNVEILED BY HOME OFFICE
MINISTER ÁNGEL ACEBES IN ALGECIRAS.

The
Integrated External Vigilance System, which has cost 142.43 million
euros to create, is the first system of its kind in Europe. The
sensors will be both stationary and mobile and will be able to capture
images at a 20-kilometre distance, during both day and night.

Radar
sensor and night-vision cameras will monitor the 110 kilometres
of the Spanish coastline closest to Morocco. The images captured
by the radar will be sent to the centre of control were they will
be assessed.

Minister
Acebes explained the main aim was to significantly reduce the illegal
trafficking of immigrants and drugs. He underlined the humanitarian
side of the project as more human lives would be saved due to an
earlier sighting of the flimsy boats in which they attempt to cross
the Straits.

Police
have rescued 730 people from the sea since 2000, while humanitarian
organisations say several thousand are likely to have drowned in
that period- a number that should be reduced when the new radar
detection system starts to operate.

BONE
OF CONTENTION

Last year, nearly 45,000 illegal immigrants were sent back to their
country of origin and the issue has become a major bone of contention
between Spain and Morocco, amid already strained relations.

It
is thought that the new surveillance system is likely to further
exacerbate tensions. But Spain has made clear that as well as intercepting
illegal immigrants, she will also use the system to combat drug
trafficking across the Straits, which primarily involves hashish
from Morocco.

READY
BY 2004

The new system will not be fully operational until 2004, after which
the network is to be extended to cover other coastal areas.

Minister
Angel Acebes added at the meeting that Spain was quite willing to
integrate immigrants into the country but the correct judicial procedures
should be followed in all instances. He hoped a better control of
the situation would lead to 'an overall improvement in the policy
of immigration'.

FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOGS ABANDONED IN ANDALUCÍA

By
David Eade

ANDALUCÍA
HAS THE WORST RECORD IN SPAIN FOR ABANDONING PET DOGS WITH A TOTAL
OF 15,000 PER ANNUM, 12,000 OF WHICH ARE DUMPED IN THE PROVINCE
OF MÁLAGA.

Every
year 50,000 dogs are abandoned in Spain. Many of those dogs will
have been welcomed into the home as cute Christmas gifts only to
be dumped when the holiday season arrives.

However
whilst people abandon their pets in large numbers, there seems to
have been a change in the past 10 years in just how they dispose
of their unwanted pooches. According to Alberto Díez, spokesman
for the Asociación Nacional para la Defensa de los Animales
(ANDA), fewer dogs are now abandoned on the streets. Sr Díez
says owners prefer to rid themselves of their dogs 'with a clean
conscience' and take them to animal rescue societies. Nonetheless
Sr Díez stresses that 'the animals suffer'.

A
BURDEN AT HOLIDAY TIME

Sr Díez points out that the highest figures for abandoning
dogs occur in urban areas. The major crisis is during the summer
months when families go on holiday and dump their pets rather than
taking them with them or placing them in boarding kennels. Another
peak period is at the end of March when the hunting season ends
and many hunters abandon their dogs in rural areas.

Alberto
Díez continued: "In Spain it is very simple to obtain
a dog. There are no established norms as to ownership and when they
are maltreated or abandoned the penalties never supersede more than
20,000 pesetas, when the law can reach a sanction of two million
pesetas."

IS
STERILISATION THE ANSWER?

ANDA is keen to promote a programme of sterilisation in Spain. Sr
Díez pointed out that the majority of abandoned dogs are
batches of puppies, which their owners no longer want to keep. He
added: "In the rest of Europe they have now solved this problem
by massive sterilisation which is much cheaper than here where prices
are astronomical".

One
of the oldest animal rescue societies in Spain can be found in Cádiz.
The protection society for plants and animals was founded in 1872.
It started protecting plants but as the years passed by it also
took abandoned animals into its care. The society now has a 5,000
square metre kennel complex with 20 units equipped with kennels
and feeding areas.

MIJAS FIRE STATION FOR LAS LAGUNAS

Mijas
Town Hall recently confirmed that the municipality was to finally
have its own fire fighting service instead of having to rely on
neighbouring towns. Now it has been announced that the new fire
station will be located at Molino de Viento, near the feria ground
in Las Lagunas.

The
Mayor of Mijas, Agustín Moreno, has stated that the same
6,000 square metre site will also house a new local police headquarters
plus a civil defence unit. The construction works are scheduled
to commence in the first quarter of 2003.
Benalmádena feria blaze

A
firework which formed part of the official display to celebrate
the feria of Benalmádena Pueblo is believed to have been
responsible for starting a blaze on a parcel of land near the urbanisation
of La Sierrezuela. Around 3,500 square metres of scrubland were
burnt, including several olive trees.

Sparks
from the firework caused a blaze of great intensity although it
was put out within 45 minutes thanks to the prompt response of the
fire service. The Town Hall has announced that it will suspend the
use of fireworks at next year's fiesta celebrations.

MÁLAGA AUTHORITIES TARGET YOUTH EXCESSES

Concern
at levels of drink and drugs abuse during city fair

By
Dave Jamieson

A
NUMBER OF PARENTS IN MÁLAGA WERE CONTACTED BY THE POLICE
DURING THE CITY'S ANNUAL FAIR DUE TO THEIR CHILDREN HAVING CONSUMED
AN EXCESS OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL.

In
the first week of the feria, 70 families were advised, mainly by
telephone, of incidents which police report were as common during
the daytime as at night.

Officers
cited the example of a 12-year-old girl who was found on the toilet
floor of one of the casetas in the early hours of the morning. She
was taken to the Materno Infantil hospital where doctors said she
had drunk a large quantity of alcohol. Health representatives on
duty at both day and night fair sites also said that the number
of cases of drunkenness seen in the under-16s had increased at this
year's event. However, on the second day of the fair, Málaga
Town Hall stated that new legislation, introduced in June to prevent
the widespread sale of alcohol between 22.00 and 8.00, was not being
enforced because of the "high cost" of carrying out inspections.

PARENTS
SHOCKED AND WORRIED

Social Welfare statistics suggest that many parents simply refuse
to accept that their children drink alcohol and take drugs, and
police say that seven out of 10, confronted with the information
in the present campaign, initially disbelieve the report. Most refuse
the medical or psychological help offered and blame the municipal
authorities for allowing their children to have become affected.

The
city has also been concerned at the increased use of drugs at this
year's fair, particularly ecstasy, and say it was not difficult
to find groups of young people buying and selling the tablets. They
report that many parents have called the municipal authorities asking
for information on the drug.

MARBELLA BUS STATION COMPLAINT

By
David Eade

Users
of the new bus station in Marbella have been voicing their dissatisfaction
at the overall state of the complex. Amongst the complaints have
been the filthy state of the toilets and bus bays, the lack of frequency
of bus services, the difficulty in gaining information - especially
for foreigners, and the lack of security which causes particular
concern at certain times of day.

However,
the bus station's director, Pedro López Quesada, said that
these complaints had not been directly raised with him. He did say
that he had communicated to the Portillo bus company the need to
clean up some areas of the station but denied there was any need
for additional security, adding that the police would be immediately
notified if any problem should arise. In his judgement the bus station
was in no need of security staff.

MAJOR FIRE SPELLS DISASTER FOR CASTELLAR

2,000
tons of stored oak burn leaving 40 out of work

By
David Eade

A
HUGE INFERNO HAS DESTROYED MORE THAN 2,000 TONS OF CORK, WHICH WAS
STORED ON THE FORECOURT OF LA ALMORAIMA IN CASTELLAR DE LA FRONTERA
(CÁDIZ).

The
cork had been gathered over the past two years from the numerous
cork oaks in the Campo de Gibraltar region on land belonging to
the State owned farming complex.

Eight
fire engines from the regional fire station raced in the afternoon
to the scene and were assisted by four fire engines from Infoca.
In addition, two specialist fire fighting helicopters dumped tons
of water on the blaze, which was only brought under control on the
following morning and continued to smoulder for days.

The
nearby Convento La Almoraima, which is now a hotel, lost its electricity
supply and a small house adjacent to the cork storage area was evacuated
although fire fighters managed to prevent any fire damage.

PYROMANIAC
BLAMED

The Mayor of Castellar, Francisco Vaca, told a press conference
that the blaze had been the work of a pyromaniac who had known the
area well and had taken advantage of the strong Poniente wind. Sr
Vaca claimed that the pyromaniac had been prowling around the area
for the past 15 days.

For
its part the local cultural association El Jaral has blamed the
Ministry of the Environment, which owns Almoraima, for not installing
a fire fighting system. El Jaral also accused the ministry of not
cleaning up the rubbish around the site, which allowed the fire
to spread rapidly.

DEVASTATING
EFFECTS
The main effects of the fire are felt by the community of Castellar
itself. Forty workers at the cork factory have now lost their jobs
as a result of the blaze. In addition 50 per cent of the population
of Castellar depend directly or indirectly on the cork factory for
their livelihood. This has led the Mayor to call on the central
government to aid the stricken community.

The
Almoraima cork complex is just a small part of the huge farming
estate of the same name, which is believed to be the biggest in
Europe. It came into state ownership after the PSOE government confiscated
the land from Ruiz Mateos after the collapse of his business empire.
Now there is a political battle as to whether La Almoraima should
stay in control of the state, governed by the PP, or passed to regional
government led by PSOE.

PROPERTY PROBLEMS TOP NERJA COMPLAINTS

Advertising
for rentals and sales mislead consumers

By
Dave Jamieson

Nerja's
Municipal Consumer Information Office have announced that complaints
about property rentals form the majority of their work during the
summer. The office's boss, Mari Carmen Cereto, reports that tourists
are eager to know their rights when they discover that the advertisement
for their rented apartment or house does not match the reality.
One holidaymaker complained that the photo of his holiday home in
a publicity brochure was 15 years old. Others complained about inadequate
kitchen equipment, including one who said that the pots and pans
were 'prehistoric'.

The
Office has also received complaints about property sales, including
misleading or inaccurate information given in publicity. In most
cases, disputes are resolved in a friendly manner, she said, with
the Office acting as mediator between the two sides.

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